Outsider music is music performed either by social outsiders, who have no or few associates in the mainstream music business, or by musicians who choose to live and work in seclusion, often due to compromising behavioral or psychological conditions. Outsider music reflects these conditions in various ways. Lyrics are often bizarre or emotionally stark and songs may show a great ignorance or disregard for structural conventions or popular trends in mainstream music. Also, outsider musicians frequently have no formal training and/or significant music skills in the traditional sense. The end result is music that is much stranger and more abrasive than more popular musical styles. Outsider music is a form of outsider art. For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... The music industry is the industry that creates and performs music, both in the form of compositions and performances. ... Adolf Wölflis Irren-Anstalt Band-Hain, 1910 The term Outsider Art was coined by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972 as an English synonym for Art Brut (which literally translates as Raw Art or Rough Art), a label created by French artist Jean Dubuffet to describe art created...

By definition, outsider music has very few outlets and most outsider musicians (save those such as Syd Barrett and Skip Spence who became popular before becoming recluses) come to be known through word of mouth, usually among communities of music collectors. Only a few, including Tiny Tim and Wesley Willis, have achieved much renown outside of a small coterie of devotees. Outsider music is frequently praised by musicians with experimental leanings, such as avant-garde jazz saxophonist John Zorn. Kurt Cobain of Nirvana famously wore a shirt designed by outsider Daniel Johnston, whom Cobain admired. Roger Keith Syd Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, songwriter, guitarist, and artist. ... Alexander Lee Skip Spence (April 18, 1946 – April 16, 1999) was a musician and singer-songwriter. ... Herbert Buckingham Khaury (April 12, 1932 – 30 November 1996), better known by the stage name Tiny Tim, was an American singer, ukulele player, and musical archivist. ... Wesley Willis Wesley Willis (May 31, 1963 – August 21, 2003) was a musician and artist from Chicago. ... Avant-jazz (also known as avant-garde jazz) is a style of music and improvisation that combines elements of avant-garde art music composition with elements of traditional jazz. ... A saxophonist is a musician who plays the saxophone. ... John Zorn (born September 2, 1953 in Queens, USA) is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. ... Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – c. ... This article is about the American rock band. ... Daniel Dale Johnston (b. ...

Some outsider musicians are famously awful and most of their audience considers them to be a surreal comedy act, something many of these performers realize and embrace. Examples include Florence Foster Jenkins, an American soprano who sang ear-splitting renditions of compositions far outside her range and Eilert Pilarm, a Swedish Elvis impersonator known for his utter lack of resemblance to Elvis Presley, as well as his questionable singing abilities and shaky command of the English language. A majority of outsider artists, however, are honestly appreciated for their unique and uncompromising styles of music. Florence Foster Jenkins (1868–November 26, 1944) was an American soprano who became famous for her complete lack of rhythm, pitch, tone, and overall singing ability. ... This article is about the singing voice part. ... Eilert Dahlberg (born April 4, 1953), who uses the stage name Eilert Pilarm is a Swedish Elvis impersonator whose fame (such as it is) stems from his striking lack of resemblance to Elvis Presley, both vocally and physically, and his shaky command of the English language in which he sings. ... Elvis Impersonators An Elvis impersonator is someone who impersonates or copies Elvis Presley either as a hobby, career in entertainment or occasionally for fun. ... “Elvis” redirects here. ...

There are arguably some links between outsider music and anti-folk: the emotion starkness, the lack of formal training and the humour. Jeffrey Lewis names his number one influence as Daniel Johnston, Syd Barrett was named the 'godfather' of antifolk's British strain in an unofficial poll and you can hear similarities between the tuneless singing styles of Wesley Willis and Paul Hawkins. However, one major difference is that while many outsider musicians are famous recluses, musicians regarded as 'antifolk' are usually grouped in a collective around a certain location (such as in New York or London). Anti-folk (or antifolk) is a genre of music related to punk rock and American folk music that originated in the mid-1980s in New York City. ... Jeffrey Lewis (born November 20, 1975 in New York City) is an American Anti-folk singer/songwriter and comic-book artist. ... Daniel Dale Johnston (b. ... Roger Keith Syd Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, songwriter, guitarist, and artist. ... Wesley Willis Wesley Willis (May 31, 1963 – August 21, 2003) was a musician and artist from Chicago. ... Paul Hawkins Nationality: Australian Date of birth: 12 October 1937 - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Date of death: 26 May 1969 - Oulton Park, Cheshire, England The son of a racing motorcyclist-turned-church minister, this tough Australian was a capable single seater driver but really made his mark as an outstanding sports...

A comprehensive guide to outsider music is Songs in the Key of Z: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music (2000) by music journalist and radio personality Irwin Chusid. The book profiles several relatively well known outsider musicians and gives a definition to the term. The book inspired two companion compilation CDs, sold separately. Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Irwin Chusid, based in Hoboken, New Jersey, is a record producer, journalist (Film Comment, Mojo, The New York Times, Mix, New York Press, Pulse), and self-described landmark preservationist who once stated, I find things on the scrapheap of history that I know dont belong there and salvage them. ...

Notable outsider musicians include,

• Arcesia, fronted by big-band singer turned psychedelic troubadour Johnny Arcesi.
• Syd Barrett, psychedelic folk pioneer, founding member of Pink Floyd.
• Y. Bhekhirst, exotic New York-based sound sculptor.
• Roky Erickson, the reclusive and eccentric former leader of the 13th Floor Elevators and onetime mental patient.
• Larry "Wild Man" Fischer, a street musician who sang for dimes, who was discovered by Frank Zappa and was the first artist recorded by Rhino Records
• Jandek, a singer/songwriter who largely avoids publicity, but releases albums pseudonymously and prolifically.
• Florence Foster Jenkins
• Daniel Johnston, a Texas singer-songwriter known for recording music on his radio boom box.
• Sexton Ming
• R. Stevie Moore
• Jack Mudurian, a Boston nursing home resident
• Harry Partch, a composer who built his own instruments according to his own system of musical scales.
• The Residents
• The Shaggs, a 1960s rock band of sisters with only rudimentary musical skill, whose ineptitude became semi-legendary.
• Skip Spence, former Moby Grape member who produced one cult classic album, Oar (1969), of stark, strange folk music.
• Gordon Thomas, former big-band trombonist, musical folk artist
• Jan Terri, a middle-aged limo driver from Chicago, who has released several albums and videos.
• Bob Vido (a.k.a. Robert Zaprian Vidoloff)
• Wesley Willis, a 350 lb. roaring schizophrenic from Chicago who sang songs about fast food, public transportation and his favorite bands, among other subjects.
• Ralph Gean, a 64 year-old country and western singer from Texas who sings songs about TV shows, soft drinks, murder, penile mutilation and other unusual subjects.
• Bugo Italian musician and composer, born in Novara.
• Silvano Togneri Italian outsider musician , born and died in Barga.
• Foe Tamajiro Japanese outsider musician , living in Las Vegas. Founder of shocker_tv.

John Anthony Arcesi was an American [[singer] of Jazz and Popular songs. ... A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late 1940s. ... Roger Keith Syd Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, songwriter, guitarist, and artist. ... Psych folk or Psychedelic folk is a music genre which began through the blending of folk music and psychedelic music in the 1960s. ... Pink Floyd are an English rock band that initially earned recognition for their psychedelic rock music, and, as they evolved, for their avant-garde progressive rock music. ... Y. Bhekhirst is an outsider musician about whom next to nothing is known, but whose one album, Hot in the Airport, released in New York on HDG Records in 1986, is prized by some outsider music collectors for its bizarre, shambling songs. ... Roky Erickson (born Roger Kynard Erickson on July 15, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter, harmonica player and guitarist from Texas. ... The 13th Floor Elevators was a psychedelic rock music group founded in Austin, Texas in late 1965. ... Larry Wild Man Fischer (born Lawrence Wayne Fischer, 6 November 1945 in Los Angeles, California, USA) has the curious claim to fame of being responsible for Rhino Records first release—Go to Rhino Records (1975). ... Frank Vincent Zappa[1] (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American composer, musician, and film director. ... Rhino Entertainment is a specialty record label originally known for releasing retrospectives of famous comedy performers, including Stan Freberg, Tom Lehrer, and Spike Jones. ... Jandek is the musical project of an outsider musician who operates out of Houston, Texas. ... Florence Foster Jenkins (1868–November 26, 1944) was an American soprano who became famous for her complete lack of rhythm, pitch, tone, and overall singing ability. ... Daniel Dale Johnston (b. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Sexton Ming (born in Gravesend, Kent England in 1961) is a British artist, poet and musician who was a founding member of The Medway Poets (1979) and the Stuckists art group (1999). ... Robert Steven Moore (born January 18, 1952) is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. ... Jack Mudurian was an American novelty singer. ... Harry Partch (June 24, 1901 – September 3, 1974) was an American composer. ... In music, a scale is a collection of musical notes that provides material for part or all of a musical work. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Shaggs were an American all-female rock and roll group from Fremont, New Hampshire. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... Alexander Lee Skip Spence (April 18, 1946 – April 16, 1999) was a musician and singer-songwriter. ... Moby Grape was an American roots rock and psychedelic rock group of the 1960s that was known for having all five members contribute to singing and songwriting and that collectively merged elements of jazz, country, and blues together with rock. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Gordon Thomas in New York Citys Times Square Promotional images of Gordon Thomas, above, by Lee Towndrow, photographed in connection with the documentary film Everythings Coming My Way: The Life and Music of Gordon Thomas Gordon Thomas is a singer/songwriter/jazz trombonist from New York City who... Jan Terri is a blues musician from the United States. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... Wesley Willis Wesley Willis (May 31, 1963 – August 21, 2003) was a musician and artist from Chicago. ... Schizophrenia (from the Greek word σχιζοφρένεια, or shjzofreneja, meaning split mind) is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a mental disorder characterized by impairments in the perception or expression of reality and by significant social or occupational dysfunction. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... Novara is a city of Piedmont, in North-west Italy, to the west of Milan. ... Barga is a medieval Tuscan city near the center of Italy, with a total of around 10,000 inhabitants. ...

Further reading

• Songs in the Key of Z: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music by Irwin Chusid ISBN 1-55652-372-6

Irwin Chusid, based in Hoboken, New Jersey, is a record producer, journalist (Film Comment, Mojo, The New York Times, Mix, New York Press, Pulse), and self-described landmark preservationist who once stated, I find things on the scrapheap of history that I know dont belong there and salvage them. ...

External links

• A collection of 365 outsider MP3s; an excellent introduction to the genre
• Outsider music mailing list
• Joe Hagan on Outsider Music
• outsider music and art in MungBeing magazine
• The outsider music of Gordon Thomas
• Plan B Magazine's introduction to Outsider Music
• images, videos and streaming audio of Silvano Togneri from Barga Italy